Assessment Notes

Taxonomic notes

Why suggested for a Global Red List Assessment?

Cortinarius suaveolens is a rare ectomycorrhiza fungus growing with Quercus spp., Tilia and Fagus in nemoral and mediterranean xerophilus forest ecosystems. Allthough big, colorful and easy to determine only scattered occurences in continental parts of Europe and everywhere rare and only occuring on top quality locations with lots of other rare and endangered species.
Redlisted or suggested for redlisting in most or all countries with occurrences. Only in France maybe having a slightly stronger population but still considered NT in Alsace. Suggested for European redlist as well as locally in Tuscany, Italy (Perini et al. 2011).
Are assigned to a Conservation Action Plan in Sweden together with Boletus satanas and Cortinarius odoratus, two other species confined to the same habitat of calcareous, xerothermic semiopen decidious woodlands. Habitat mainly occuring on leptosols (shallow soils over calcareous bedrocks). Localities have traditionally been used as grazing forests or meadow woodlands, both practises that today have almost totally disappeared.

No. of localities globally: less than 25 known (x10) = less than 250 localities expected.
No. of individuals: less than 5.000
Habitat loss: 15-30%
Suggestion: VU C2a(i)
N.B. Should also be checked for AOO which might be less than 500 km2

Evaluation based on small population and confined to a habitat that is threatened by deforestation and other changes of management of semiopen forests.

Geographic range

Cortinarius suaveolens is occuring in nemoral forest ecosystems in south-central Europe with a few relict localities in Northern Europe. No reports outside Europe.

Population and Trends

No. of localities: less than 25 known (x10) means less than 250 localities expected.
No. of individuals: less than 5.000
Habitat loss: 15-30%
Suggestion: VU C2a(I)
N.B. Should also be checked for AOO which might be less than 500 km2

Evaluation based on small population and confined to a habitat that is threatened by deforestation and other changes of management of semiopen forests.

Population Trend: Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology

Cortinarius suaveolens is a ectomycorrhiza species growing with Quercus, Fagus & Tilia in nemoral and mediterranean forest ecosystems on calcareous soils. The species seems to be dependent on locally warm and favourable sites with long continuity of trees in semi-open forest.

Temperate Forest

Threats

Cortinarius suaveolens is mainly threatened by different changes of habitats, such as clear-cutting, replacement of original forest types via plantations and abandonment of extensive grazing and small-scale disturbances in semi-open woodlands. Also threatened by ancient deciduous, multiple-layered mixed forest stands being replaced by single tree species stands and/or densification.

Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]

Conservation Actions

All known localities needs site protection and proper managment plans. In Sweden there is an Action plan for the species (Knutsson 2014). So far its resulted in an increase in knowledge of ecology but resulted in no recent observations. The actions suggested is mainly focused on area/site protection and restoration of habitats incl. shrub removal and reintroduction of cattle to graze mosaic decidious forests.